Burgruine Lichtenfels

Dornhan, Germany, Germany

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Burgruine Lichtenfels is a ruined high-medieval hilltop castle located near Dornhan in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, situated on a forested ridge about 1 kilometer south of the village of Leinstetten above the Glatt valley.

Built likely in the 12th or early 13th century, possibly by the Counts of Hohenberg, the castle served as a strategic fortification to protect a nearby road. It was first destroyed in 1298 during the Battle of Leinstetten, and later besieged and permanently destroyed in 1428 by Württemberg troops after it became a base for Count Friedrich von Zollern (called “Öttinger”), who conducted robber campaigns from there.

The castle was never rebuilt and was abandoned in favor of Schloss Leinstetten. Today, the most prominent remaining feature is a massive shield wall (Schildmauer) over 20 meters high and more than 3 meters thick, with an inner defensive walkway and shooting chambers, making it an important example of late Staufer military architecture.

The ruin is freely accessible, well-maintained, and in private ownership, with easy, family-friendly access suitable even for cyclists. Nearby, the Minnesänger Monument commemorates the 1298 battle where Count Albrecht II of Hohenberg, a famous minstrel, was killed.